Vol 2: Chapter 12: The Gatekeeper

Ram was shocked to learn that Chitra knew about everything and she still let Aunt Aunt Sheila and others work with her.

And it seemed like Chitra got the information from wide variety of sources, including Veera and Siraj and to some extend Diana.

Veera died back in their battle as he tried to escape Ram's Mind World which was disintegrating along with Ram as he used more Soulfire than His Well of Soulfire contained.

And Chitra used Siraj and Diana as much as she can. When they were no longer of any use to her, she experimented on them, generated fake love between them and now even turned them into a Merged Soul. They seemed to be stable for now. But Ram didn't know whether they were going to be the same or not.

After all, Dr. Shukla was not involved in this.

Chitra and her father were.

Ram didn't know a anything about either of them, other than that they were dangerous and powerful.

But scientists?

Ram didn't think so.

What's even more scary was the fact that Chitra knew everything about them. Even including the fact that Aunt Sheila loved Aunt El and that Ram was Aunt El's foster son.

Ram didn't get a chance to speak with Aunt Sheila. But he hoped that she was alright. If she was not, he was going to make sure that she would be once they were away form Chitra.

Chitra ordered Dheeraj and Dr. Manish to go on with their experiments, who seemed more scared than he had ever seen them. They stared at Aunt Sheila and Dr. Shukla before tearing their gaze away form them reluctantly and walked out of the throne room.

Chitra ordered the guards to take extra care of Dr. Shukla, before beckoning Ram and Aunt Shelia to follow her into another room.

She locked the door once they were inside.

This room was filled with several trophies from Chitra's or her father's conquests.

Ram even thought he saw something from The Institute, but he was not sure.

What he was sure was that he saw several space suits or armor that Aunt Aunt Sheila wore. He also saw armors belonged to sand beings and mountain beings along with many armors of many other worlds.

One section contained purely emblems, some still stained with their version of blood. Some were intact just like Aunt Sheila's, while others were cracked just like Dr. Shukla's.

Ram ignored every one of them and instead focused on Chitra as she turned her arm into a blinding white sword. She sliced the air in front of her vertically, straining as she met with resistance that Ram couldn't see.

Once she was finished with that, Ram could see endless darkness across the slit Chitra made, consuming every grain of light on Chitra's glowing white sword.

Chitra then turned her sword into glowing Orange Soulfire, which was somehow pushing the darkness back.

Chitra then removed her sword away, summoned gauntlets with claws that were glowing with Orange Soulfire and pushed the vertical slit as if she were ripping a page apart.

She then poured more Soulfire into it, flowing from tips of her claws and into the slit and Ram could see a tunnel made out of Orange Soulfire wherever her Soulfire touched.

Chitra was panting by the time she was finished with it.

Ram wondered just how powerful she was and how she was able to use so much Soulfire.

He was even more scared of the darkness that she just fought against.

Chitra kept the gauntlets back and looked at them. "Hurry up. I just opened a portal, which usually requires proper setup and a ritual of it's own. But since we don't have much time, let's get going. It was going to collapse at any moment and you don't want to be inside of it when that happens," she said.

Ram hesitated. "Where are we going?" he asked.

Chitra smirked at him, or at least, she tried to. It came out as grimace. She must be tired. "Don't worry. You are still much use to me alive than dead. We are going towards The Gatekeeper's Domain so that you and your aunt can get out of The Nonliving Soul World and into The Living Soul World," she said.

Aunt Sheila squeezed Ram's shoulders and made the first move, as if she were used to walk into the portal many times.

Ram immediately put himself in between Aunt Sheila and Chitra.

Chitra chuckled. "You are really loyal to the ones you care about. I thought you hated Aunt Sheila, but guess time could change things. Keep this going and I am going to keep you with myself forever," she said.

Ram shuddered.

Chitra chucked, then looked at Aunt Sheila. "What about you? It seemed you also care about him. Shall I use the solution I fed to Siraj and Diana and make him my Soulmate?" she asked.

"I don't think you really want to do that," Aunt Sheila said.

"Why do you think so?"

"You want the Soul Bead. It was not something that you can get by yourself."

"I am already powerful. Why would I required your help to get that?" Chitra asked.

Aunt Sheila shook her head. "You would have already done so if that were the case. But it was not. Bharghav is the Head of The Living Souls and you need scapegoats for it. And as far as you are concerned, Ram, Em and me were the perfect choice. You have kept my father as a prisoner, giving us no way out. Besides Ram and Em were Merged Souls, made out of Human and A.I. You wanted Perfect Merged Souls, which they are not. So, if you stop playing with us and move faster, we could reach the Gatekeeper," Aunt Sheila said.

Chitra shook her head. "You are no fun. At least before, you were looking at me with wonder and all, especially after you were rejected by your Soulmate. Guess his arrival changed everything, if I knew about that, I wouldn't have brought him into Nonliving Soul World int he first place," she said.

Ram stopped. "You were the one who was responsible for us entering the Nonliving Soul World? How did you do it? I thought were were supposed to be inside Living Soul World?" he said.

Chitra sighed. "Well, as you can see, I tasked Veera with getting the Bead of The Institute as The Institute was the first one successful in integrating multiple powers within his domain. But Veera grew too ambitious and wanted the bead for himself. I knew it would turn out like this and placed a device on him that would pull him into Nonliving Soul World as soon as he started to use The Bead of The Institute for himself. But it seems he learned about the device and put it on you instead. So, your merger happened in The Soul World and that too in my domain. But since your merger was so powerful, it happened far away from me and not inside the palace. If it were not, I would've prevented it. But… well it's already been done. There was no way that I can change that," she said.

Ram was still processing the information that she just revealed when he could feel Chitra's gaze behind his back.

"What?"

"I am amazing, aren't I?"

"No. You are not. You are horrible."

"Be careful with whom you are talking to."

"I am perfectly aware whom I am talking to. Besides, you need us to get The Soul Bead and subdue two souls. No one else would be so suicidal to accept your task. So I don't care about offending you."

Chitra sighed. "It seemed you really are ignorant. I hope Sheila teaches you necessary manners during your quest. Meanwhile, you should be thankful to me for making this reunion happen," she said.

Ram glared at her. "I don't think so. I thought I should blame you for making me a Soul of The Soul World," he asked.

Chitra shook her head. "I am not responsible for you becoming a Soul. You have to thank The Crazy Twins for that. They were responsible for your modifications. Just like others, even I didn't anticipate they would involve themselves into this. I don't know where they emerged from, but they went against very powerful beings that even my father was scared of, much less me. What I still don't know was that why were they involved with you?" she asked. "What's so special about you?"

Ram shook his head. "It was the first time that I had met them. Only for couple of minutes and they knocked me out after manipulating me," he said.

Chitra pondered for a moment. "Well, they were crazy after all. God knows what they were thinking. But it didn't matter to me now. All I should do is to wait for you to get The Soul Bead and two worthy souls. I have couple of them in my mind and my agents will inform you the details. When you finish with getting the Soul Bead, you will be informed of whom I have in mind and you should immediately work on those souls," she said.

They didn't talk afterwards.

Finally, they reached the end of the orange tunnel. Once they stepped out of it, Chitra used her gauntlets again and closed the tunnel.

She then turned and urged us to move forward.

Ram was not able to see anything. He stumbled upon himself many times. Finally, Aunt Sheila sighed and held his hand and guided him.

That slowed down Chitra, who from time to time, let her frustrations on whatever that lay in their path.

All he heard was wails of pain.

They reached a section where Ram felt difficult to walk forward. Chitra and Aunt Sheila also seemed to feel the same way.

"Akila, The Gatekeeper, please provide us the passage into The Living World," Chitra shouted.

Akila growled. "Did you think I will allow the passage just because you want it?" she asked.

Ram couldn't see anyone. But even if someone were present in front of him, he would not be able to focus. Because, it was too painful even to stand with Aunt Sheila's help. Without which, he would've collapsed.

Chitra sighed. "I knew you would be cranky. But what I don't know was how did you allow that bastard's daughter and her friends to pass through the barrier few hours ago?" she asked.

Akila chuckled. "They provided me with a very nice gift. And what do you have with you that could be of interest to me?" she asked.

"You owe me a favor. Did you forget about that so easily?" Chitra asked.

Akila laughed. "Well, I can return your favor even to you dead body. But since you wouldn't like that, and I also fear your father, let's not go down that route. Why don't you give me something else?" she asked.

Chitra grit her teeth. "Why don't you step out of your clove and stop the draining of our Soulfire?" she asked.

Akila growled. "Wheres fun in that?" she asked.

Aunt Sheila shouted. "Goddamn it! Woman. Can't you change?" she asked.

Ram felt the pressure surrounding them disappear. He looked around himself and struggled as his vision returned in waves.

Once it's returned, he saw a female with a dark cloak that covered her face. The cloak was even longer than herself and she hovered above them. Her cloak was rippling against whatever force that was dominating their surroundings.

She had a long staff with dragon head with glowing with red eyes.

She must be Akila, the Gatekeeper. She was staring at Aunt Sheila with so much lust that Ram came in between them.

When he failed to cover entirety of Aunt Sheila form Akila's lustful gaze, Ram turned himself into a giant boar, even taller and wider than Akila.

Akila let out a surprised growl. "I have never seen a soul so powerful and talented than you. Who are you?" she asked.

"The niece of the one you were trying to hit on. If you are not careful, you might lose your chance of ever getting Sheila's love," Chitra said.

Akila pondered for a moment. "So you are the brat who was responsible for her staying away from relationships? How come you were so protective of her? I heard you hated her?" she asked.

Chitra chuckled. "Many things changes with time," she said.

Akila perked up and turned towards her. "Are you saying that there might be a chance of Sheila's Soulmate not in love with he? That I could have a chance to get Sheila's love?" she asked.

Ram interrupted them. "Don't even think about getting in between them. My aunt has been in love with her and that's why she rejected every date that her sister set her up with. She even failed to recognize her friend's love, which led to her betraying my aunt. When we reach her, which we will for sure, both of them would reunite and I will even marry them off," he said.

Akila looked amused. "Wow, mighty protective of her aren't you? I am liking you more and more. What do you think?" she asked, turning towards Chitra.

Chitra nodded. "From what Veera described of him, and from Aunt Sheila's drunken descriptions, I thought he was not worthy of my time. But boy he was different now. And they didn't explain to me that he could be so loyal, loving and cute. If they weren't Merged Souls of human being and an A.I., I would've made them my Soulmates. But alas, they are not. So that's why I have to depend on them to get me two souls for myself," she said.

Akila startled. "Are you saying that you know a way to make anyone being in love with you," she asked, glancing at Aunt Sheila.

But since Ram was still towering covering her, Akila just shook her head and turned towards Chitra.

Chitra nodded. "To an extent I can. But I believe Sheila would be difficult to tame since she was deeply in love with her Soulmate. Though if you find a weak minded soul like Diana and Siraj, whom I fed the solution with, they instantly fell for each other, so much so that they were willing to do anything to be together," she said.

Akila looked at that. "Why don't you give me this solution? Then I can let them go," she said.

"I will, but you have to promise not to use it on Sheila. It won't work on her and you would be wasting a chance," Chitra said.

Akila whined. "But the one I wanted was her," she said.

"You sometimes have to settle with second best, or even the one after that. Everyone can't be winners," Chitra said.

Akila growled. "Fine, but what you are asking me to let go of someone that I wanted for long time. On the top of the solution, I also want another favor. I want Sheila to kiss me," she said.

Ram groaned. He changed himself into that of a woman. A badly deformed one, and flew up, kissed Akila on her cheek and flew back.

Akila cleaned her cheek as if she were touched by a wasteful thing and glared at him. Which turned into surprise. "He can also change into anyone else? Wait he already did that by changing into a giant boar. Is he a shape shifter?" she asked.

Chitra nodded. "Don't you see why I am controlling myself to not settle it with him?" she asked.

Akila nodded. "I can see, but if I were into males, I would've used that potion on him. But alas, I am doomed to love only females. I was cursed by that damned witch," she said.

Chitra chuckled. "She also said that the one you love would not love you back. But with this solution, you have a chance to break it out of. What do you think?" she asked.

Akila agreed. "Fine. But you will have to let me have some nice chat with them alone. You can go back to your palace where you work on to perfect this solution as well as on merging two souls," she said.

Chitra looked reluctant.

Akila sighed. "You know how much Life energy it required. And the Soulfire to Life energy conversion is becoming less and less. If I also need to transfer you, who is more powerful being on the entire Nonliving Soul World, other than me, I would be drained and this barrier would not be opened for weeks to come. Is that what you wanted?" she asked.

Chitra reluctantly agreed. "Don't waste your time on her," she warned once more and walked away from them.

Once Chitra opened a portal and stepped back into her palace, Akila relaxed.

"I hate that bitch," Akila said.

Aunt Sheila growled. "If you hate her so much, then why are you still working for her?" she asked.

Ram looked at them in confusion. "You both knew each other? You were acting so different in her presence," he asked.

Akila chuckled. "Boy, you really are ignorant just like Aunt Sheila predicted you to be. Don't worry. I am not in love with Aunt Sheila. I am in fact her best friend," she said.

Ram gasped. "Chitra was powerful, she seemed to know everything about Aunt Sheila. Don't you think it would be better if you had acted like you hated each other? Or continued your previous act?" he asked.

Akila looked at him smugly. "Don't worry. This barrier is my domain. Chitra couldn't learn about what happens inside of it. That's why I had sent her off. Now, let me introduce to you formally. I am Akila, The Gatekeeper. I met Aunt Sheila by chance and we explored many worlds together when we were young. I was also along with her when she was dating your Aunt and boy you were such a wonder to watch. But it's a story for another time. We have to let you out soon. Otherwise she would doubt us," she said.

Ram was staring at her with his mouth wide open. "How come I don't remember any of this?" he asked.

Aunt Sheila gave him a stare.

Ram shook his head. "I really started to doubt whether Aunt El loved me or hated me. Can't she see how wasteful I am feeling without her help?" he asked.

Em emerged out of His Mind World.

Akila gasped as she saw the greenish skinned Em. Who winked at her. But she turned to Ram.

"That is why Aunt Sheila made me. She kept warning your aunt many times, but she was the most overprotective of the bunch that existed. And she erased your memories just to keep you safe. But you don't have to worry about it anymore. Did you remember the chip that Dr. Manish had given you?" she asked.

Ram nodded. "Well, it was given to Dr. Manish by Aunt Sheila. It has your memories before she left you. Though it seemed to be locked for now. And the dream that we saw was one such memory. Ram I think you will regain your memories sooner. You can remember your childhood. So you don't have to blame yourself or your aunt for being wasteful. After all, I am there with you forever, to protect you," she said.

Ram sighed. "But I don't want to be a burden to you. Or to anyone. Sometimes I wonder if I really deserve all of your love," he said.

Em just shook her head and glared at him.

Aunt Sheila frowned. "Boy you have low self confidence. If I knew without your Aunt you would be like this, I would've made sure to make you more self confident. But enough with that. Here's what you need to know. You deserve every bit of love we are showering towards you. I even believe you will find a Soulmate, just like I did with Aunt El. And this time, we will be there with you to make sure you won't end up separating with her like I did with Ella. Do you trust me?" she asked.

Ram hesitated.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I don't think I want to drag even more people into my mess than they already are. Don't you see Aunt El, her sister, Fathima, Elder of Water, Sandhya and Chandra, and even you? You were in this mess because of me. And now Chitra was also involved and we are about to do something crazy and dangerous than other times. It's better if I don't exist," he said.

Aunt Sheila sighed.

Em emerged once again. "This is what I had to deal with on day to day basis. If you had given me hypnotic powers, I would have hypnotized him to be more self confident. But as of now, all I could do was put up with it," she said, before disappearing into his Mind World.

Aunt Sheila shook her head. She came to Ram and hugged him. She squeezed him and rubbed his back in circles, just like his aunt did back in his memories. "Ram, I get that it's hard to change. You were alone till now. Even your overprotective aunt did some mistakes, which I am going to correct. So, if you can't trust yourself when it comes to love matters, at least trust me?" she asked.

Ram buried his head into her chest and he cried. She rubbed his back and whispered calming words. Soon, he calmed down enough. "I can't promise that I can change instantly, but I will try," he said.

Aunt Sheila nodded and broke the hug.

Akila just shook her head. "He really got worse. It's good that you are there with him. Teach him that optimism of yours and change him. We don't have much time. Let's get you out into the Living Soul World before Chitra doubts us," she said.

They nodded.

Akila tapped her staff and the pressure reappeared. Chitra spun her staff in circle and the waves produced opened up a space between the barrier and together with Aunt Sheila, he stepped into it.